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Match facts: South Africa v Sri Lanka

In battle of equals, Sri Lanka takes on South Africa in tournament opener

South Africa takes on Sri Lanka in its tournament opener in Chittagong.

South Africa and Sri Lanka take each other on in a battle of equals in the 14th match of the ICC World Twenty20 in a Super 10 Group 1 clash. Both teams will look to kickstart their campaigns on a positive note, and both will focus on playing to their strengths. Here are some facts leading into the game.

Facts:

South Africa v Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka won the last T20I meeting between these teams, in August 2013. South Africa had won all three of the previous clashes.

JP Duminy is the leading run-scorer in those matches, with 144 runs at an average of 72.

Of players to face at least 100 balls in T20Is between Test-playing nations since the start of 2013, Angelo Mathews has the lowest play and miss percentage (5%).

Of players to face at least 100 balls in T20Is between Test-playing nations since the start of 2013, Thisara Perera has the lowest dot ball percentage (24%).

Of players to face at least 100 balls in T20Is between Test-playing nations since the start of 2013, Thisara Perera has the highest attacking shot percentage – 79%.

Approaching Milestones:

Dale Steyn needs four wickets to reach 50 T20I wickets.

Mahela Jayawardene will become the 18th player to play 50 T20Is if he takes the field in this match.

AB de Villiers will become the first South Africa player to play 50 T20I innings if he reaches the crease in this match.

Key Battles

JP Duminy v Thisara Perera

These all-rounders have some impressive Twenty20 numbers in the bank. Duminy is South Africa’s leading T20I run-scorer and is one of only three players to hit 1,000 runs at an average of at least 35, whilst Perera is one of the most explosive hitters in the format.

In T20Is played since the start of last year between Test-playing nations, Perera has the lowest defensive shot percentage and highest attacking shot percentage amongst players to face at least 100 balls. Combined with the fact he also has the lowest dot ball percentage in this period, it is clear he is a man to fear down the order.

Duminy will be useful in this tournament with his handy off-spin (13 wickets in 20 innings at an average of 19), but Perera is a front-line strike option. He can be expensive, but goes into this tournament in good bowling form, having taken two wickets in consecutive T20Is for the first time in his career in his last two outings.